fend off
phrasal verb
fended off; fending off; fends off
: to defend oneself against (someone or something)
They succeeded in fending off the attack/attackers.
They have had to fend off allegations of voter fraud.
Examples of fend off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The British driver was able to fend off the challenging conditions and the threat of four-time reigning champion Max Verstappen to top the podium and kickstart his season with the maximum 25 points.
—
Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
District 5 First-term council member Liliana Bakhtiari will have to fend off nonprofit professional Adam Gore-Wright to represent neighborhoods like Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
An After-Mating Meal All octopuses are venomous, with the majority of these cephalopods using their venom to fend off their predators or to immobilize their prey.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2025
The Dutchman went winless for almost three months, an eternity for a man who had won 19 races the previous season, but had just enough in the critical moments to fend off Lando Norris’ challenge.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fend off
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Thomas Schlachter, CNN, 16 Mar. 2025
District 5 First-term council member Liliana Bakhtiari will have to fend off nonprofit professional Adam Gore-Wright to represent neighborhoods like Cabbagetown and Reynoldstown.
—Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 12 Mar. 2025
An After-Mating Meal All octopuses are venomous, with the majority of these cephalopods using their venom to fend off their predators or to immobilize their prey.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2025
The Dutchman went winless for almost three months, an eternity for a man who had won 19 races the previous season, but had just enough in the critical moments to fend off Lando Norris’ challenge.
—Dan Cancian, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fend off
Cite this Entry
“Fend off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fend%20off. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share